1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a humidifier and method of using same that utilizes a plurality of disposable filters and air from a source of heated air flow near a floor, wall, or ceiling; and more particularly, to an energy efficient humidifier appointed for placement proximate to a hot air source, and having a water reservoir and a plurality of filters extending into the water reservoir so that water is absorbed by the filters due to capillary action.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many enclosed buildings experience low humidity levels, especially during the heating season. Low humidity environments are associated with respiratory problems. Room air should be humidified within a relatively narrow humidity range to achieve an acceptable human comfort level at a particular temperature and atmospheric pressure. Humidifier units are conventionally utilized for delivering moisture to homes and offices to achieve the desired humidity ranges.
The majority of humidifiers have an internal source of heat and a motorized fan that blows air over the hear source and through or against a moistened filter or wick. However, the use of an internal heat source and fan requires these devices to be powered by electricity, and many have irritating humming or other noises the user must bear through. Many of these devices further require replacement of the filters, which tend to be costly. In addition, the internal heat source and fan add substantially to the cost, size, and weight of the humidifier.
Other humidifiers currently available involve energy efficient devices that do not have an internal heat source or fan and do not require electricity; instead these energy efficient humidifiers generally involve a container having a water reservoir appointed to be placed in proximate association with heater units. Delivery of moisture to the air is achieved though evaporation of the water reservoir. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,895 to Ghorayeb discloses a humidifier appointed for attachment to a base-board heater unit. The humidifier includes a container for storing water and an opening for evaporation. As hot air from the heater unit passes over the water and evaporates same, the moistened air is forced into the room. The device cannot be utilized with both wall and floor heater units. It utilizes direct evaporation of the water reservoir into the room, causing frequent refilling of the water reservoir.
While other energy efficient humidifiers do not involve evaporation directly form a water reservoir, but instead involve evaporation of water from a material wick wetted through capillary migration. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,539 to Grants discloses a room humidifier unit operable in conjunction with the natural circulation of the room's air, comprising a portable, self-contained and angularly adjustable evaporator having water absorbent evaporative strips disposed therein to obtain maximum evaporation of moisture into the room's circulating air. The device is a stand-alone unit, and evaporation is achieved from the room's air circulation.
In addition, capillary migration is utilized for various humidifiers appointed to be placed in close proximity to a heating source. Many of these humidifiers include a single material surface for absorbing water, and utilize placement of the wetted material over the heating source vent. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,850,698 to Goh discloses a free-standing humidifier appointed for placement above a floor heating source. The humidifier has a main reservoir for holding water and receiving an end of a paper towel while the other end is received by a rod appointed so that water wicks the paper-towel through capillary migration and hot air passes over the moist towel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,230 to Hist discloses a portable wall register mount humidifier having a water reservoir with a wicking material vertically suspended therein so that the water is absorbed on the material by way of capillary action and forced are traverses the material. These humidifiers only include a single material surface and a small reservoir area. As a result, water is absorbed at a fast rate from the single towel or material so that it frequently become dry; while at the same time, the reservoir needs frequent refilling.
Even where humidifiers utilize a plurality of material wicks arranged in relation to one another, these units fail to provide optimum moisture delivery, while at the same time providing a unit that does not have to be filled frequently. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,174 to Vesper discloses a humidifier appointed for attachment to a wall hot air register via hooks, and is comprised of a substantially rectilinear container having a water reservoir in the base thereof and parallel spaced grooves for removably supporting a plurality of evaporator plates of absorbent material in parallel spaced apart relation to each other. Refilling of the reservoir can be cumbersome as refilling of the unit appears to take place from the back thereof, so that the unit must be removed from the wall for re-filling. In addition, changing or replacement of the evaporator plates can be quite cumbersome, as the plate have a generally L-shape and insertion into the container is achieved though a back opening that can only accommodate a portion of the plate at one time, so that the plate must be awkwardly angled into the container. Disadvantageously, air is delivered over the plates and over the water reservoir area simultaneously, so that evaporation takes place both from the plates and from the reservoir itself. As a result, the reservoir itself would tend to evaporate quickly and need frequent refilling.
Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to construct an energy efficient humidifier for residential and/commercial use there remains a need in the art for a humidifier for use with a source of heated air and method of using same that is non-complex and space and energy efficient, and which houses a plurality of evaporation filters in parallel arrangement, so that air from an air source in a floor or wall heating source passes thereover. In addition, there is a need in the art for a humidifier that provides a plurality of tunnels between each evaporation filter, so that the tunnels facilitate flow of hot air from the heating source over each of the evaporation filters. Further, there is an art-recognized need for a humidifier wherein indirect air flow over the water reservoir is provided so as to mitigation direct evaporation therefrom and decrease the need and frequency of refilling the reservoir.